"Ok, party's over!" Kaien yelled, still obviously pissed off he'd been 'so rudely' interrupted. "Get ready for the next mission!"
Rukia smiled to herself while he ordered Kiyone and Sentaro away with her.
"Gonna go meet the wife?" Sentaro teased.
"Just go do what I told ya! Lousy drunks!"
The violet-eyed woman watched as the assistant captain left and indeed, just over a few feet from where they were, met his beloved.
"Doesn't make any sense, does it?" Kiyone asked, coming up from behind Rukia. "A man like that, already claimed. I know I wasn't kiddin' when I said I could fall for him."
"No," the other woman answered. "It makes perfect sense. The perfect woman... for the perfect man."
&
Years later, when she met Ichigo, she had to wonder if this man's soul was some sort of guardian. He always showed when she needed him most. Back then, when she was adjusting to shinigami life and all she needed was a friendly face; and now, when she was so well adjusted it occasionally made her physically ill and needed nothing more than an escape from the pressures surounding her, even if he did create more in the process.
&
Rukia's heart beat loud in her throat. She couldn't breathe as image after haunting image plagued her mind as she could only watch as Ichigo fought.
"Stop!" she finally screamed. "You're both at your limit! Just stop!"
Kaien for his wife.
Ichigo for his mother.
To hell with pride.
No matter how long she was under Junshiro Ukitake's command, she knew she'd never understand.
Compared to life, what was pride?
The chill of the rain seemed nonexistent while relief washed over her and her charge's head fell to her lap.
"Thank you... for not dying," she whispered.
I couldn't bear it if I lost you again.